Ghost Writter
by DSISandraPullman39
Summary: She knew she could sit there running over every summer that might be even close to when the photo was taken and come up with a million connected memories but none that would explain why someone had picked now, over thirty years later to contact her about them nor why they'd do it in such an obtuse manner.
1. Chapter 1

**Ghost Writer 1/?**

**Disclaimer:-** Don't own them just borrowing!

**Episode:- **None

**Pairing:- **Jean/James (eventually!)

**Rating:- **M

**Achieve:- ** **http(:/) . /group/rebeccafrontlewisffarchive/**

**Summary:- **She knew she could sit there running over every summer that might be even close to when the photo was taken and come up with a million connected memories but none that would explain why someone had picked now, over thirty years later to contact her about them nor why they'd do it in such an obtuse manner.

**Author's Note:- **In answer to Gee's Letter from a long lost relative challenge which she kindly let me tweak a little to be a "Letter from the past" type situation instead! Rated for language and sexual references etc. Enjoy and reviews would be lovely!

"Look I don't care how difficult he's being you have told me you need to see the medical records if he won't show you them then he'll find himself dealing with me and the mood I'm that won't be an experience he will enjoy." Jean snapped sitting behind her desk again and sighing at the small mountain of mail and padded envelopes in front of her. Just when she thought she was getting ahead, that she might actually have her desk cleared before the weekend someone seemed to slip in while she was out and pile a load more crap into it!

"He says because the victim isn't technically dead, because she's still on life support the doctor/patient privilege still applies, I've asked James to contact legal and see if there's any way round it I tried pointing out that the fact she is alive is only due to medical intervention but he isn't having it." Robbie continued sitting in the chair in front of the desk waiting for the continued barrage of complaints he always got from his boss when they were faced with someone being a little too "jobs worth " and holding them back. They all felt the frustration and normally Jean was better than most at dealing with these situations in a calm and "politically" appropriate way. Sometimes though it got too much even for her and he had a feeling this was one of those days.

"Legal will say we have to bloody wait they always do, I mean we know we're dealing with a murder case, they know we are and even the bloody doctor does but heaven forbid they should actually help us catch the bastard who did it." Jean sighed setting aside the couple of letters she'd already opened and reaching for a thick padded envelope next on the pile. "Can't he see that we need to know about the past incidents of domestic violence so we can show a past history and try to get enough to lift her husband? I mean he raped her, beat her to a pulp, she is only alive until her family find the strength to pull the plug and he's..."

"Jean? What is it?" Robbie asked as she stopped in the middle of her rant and started at the contents of the envelope she'd just opened and he was sure she was a shade paler than she had been moments before. "You look like you've seen a ghost what the hell was in that envelope?"

"I'm not sure." Jean replied turning the single sheet of note paper and the photograph over in her hand before handing them to Robbie. "The photo is me but it's at least 35 years old I don't even know where someone would have got it I'm only about 15 in it and I'm not even sure what that is supposed to mean."

"Nice picture but I agree about the note what the hell is 12778 supposed to mean? Does it mean anything to you? A phone number maybe or ...no not an address it's too long, anything at all?" He asked turning the picture over in his hand and noting some faded writing on the back squinting to try to work out what it was. "Can you see what this says? I can't make it out it looks like a name or a place name."

Taking the photo back as Robbie got up and lifted the envelope off the desk looking at the handwritten name and address on the front she reached for the magnifying glass on the corner of her desk.

"It's Applebrook it's a farm in the Lake District or it was. My grandparents owned it, it wasn't a working farm, not then but they had bought the house we used to holiday there when I was a child. We still own it but it's derelict now I couldn't tell you the last time I was there and I don't think my sister has been near it in years either. When my mother died a few years ago it reverted to us every time we get together we say it's time we did something about it but we've never got around to it yet." Jean replied turning the photo over again and looking at the much younger version of herself smiling out from it. Summers at Applebrook had been some of the happiest times of her life growing up and she had boxes and boxes of photos and mementos from that time herself but this wasn't a picture she ever remembered seeing and wasn't sure if it suddenly turning up now with a cryptic note was someone's idea of a joke or something to be concerned about.

"Maybe your sister sent it, you know as a reminder that you're both supposed to be doing something about the property and haven't, as a joke?" Robbie speculated not really believing that it was a possibility, he'd only ever met Jean's sister once and in the short time they'd spoke she hadn't struck him as the practical joking type.

"No she'd be more likely just to ring and give me a hard time, besides she's procrastinating about it as much as I am, we both know we're never going to use it or take the time to get the place back up to a liveable standard but we have a lot of memories attached to it so we're having trouble letting go."

"What do you want to do? Do you think it's a threat of some sort?"

"I think it's a bit early to think of it as anything other than someone playing silly buggers but I'm not ready to completely dismiss it yet. I'll file it, hopefully it'll be a one off and when whoever sent it realises I have no idea what they're talking about or who they might be they'll get bored." Jean replied putting the photo and note back in the envelope and slipping it into the drawer in her desk before turning her attention back to Robbie. "For now we need Mrs Asquith's medical records go see if James has got anything yet from legal and come back to me if they say they can't help I'll give Dr Martin a ring and see if a little light leaning on him might move things along."

"Ok, I'll see you shortly, you sure you're ok?" Robbie asked nodding at the drawer not completely convinced and she nodded and smiled but deciding it may be better not to push the subject just yet.

"Yeah it's probably nothing and for now we've more important things to think about, get back to me ASAP." Jean smiled waiting until he had left the office before lifting the envelope out again and turning it over in her hands. She knew she could sit there running over every summer that might be even close to when the photo was taken and come up with a million connected memories but none that would explain why someone had picked now, over thirty years later to contact her about them nor why they'd do it in such an obtuse manner. No matter what she was trying to convince Robbie and herself though she didn't really believe it was the last she says going to hear about it.


	2. Chapter 2

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Ghost Writer – 2/?

Closing the door of her home and leaning back against it with an exhausted sigh Jean dropped her bag in the corner as she did. It had been a long week and she couldn't remember the last time she'd looked forward to a hot bath and a cold glass of wine so much. When things were too hectic, too full of impossible cases and office politics she loved nothing more than closing the world out, having a hot bath and curling up with a good book, the murder mystery type where the good guys always got their man. With that done she could generally get up and do it all again the next day with the flame of hope that one day that would actually be true lit again.

Heading for the kitchen she grabbed the post lying by her feet flicking through it as she moved stopping dead as amongst the bills, catalogues and junk mail she always got there was a familiar brown envelope the hand written name and address on the front making her blood run cold for a second. Abandoning the rest of the post on the hall table she took the envelope through to the kitchen setting it on the counter and pouring herself a glass of wine before standing staring at it.

When the other one had arrived to the station at the beginning of the week she'd been a little concerned, even going to far as to call her sister to see if she had any idea who could have sent it or if she had received anything similar. When she'd realised that she was the only target of the unusual correspondence and when she'd received no more for the rest of the week she'd assumed it was, as she and Robbie had speculated, someone's idea of a joke and they had got bored when she hadn't immediately launched into a full investigation to find out the source. Even when it had popped back into her head throughout the week she'd consoled herself with the fact that the letter had been sent to the station, it was no secret that she worked there or what her position was, the nature of modern policing meant that it wasn't unusual for her to be seen in the media at a crime scene or a press conference. She'd convinced herself that even if there was more of them she'd deal with it and at least if they were sending them there and not to her home it probably meant they didn't know her well enough to have her address or access to how to get it. Now though that tiny crumb of comfort had been stripped out from under her and she couldn't decide if she should just open the envelope right away and see what it was this time or if she should call someone, Robbie maybe, and get him to come over since he was there when she opened the first one and didn't seem to be as happy to forget about it as she pretended to be at the time.

"Ok it might be nothing Jean come on opened it at least before you start thinking all sorts." Setting the glass of wine down on the counter she lifted the envelope turning it over in her hands looking for anything on the outside of the envelope that would give her a clue as to where it had come from. Everything about the envelope was unremarkable, it was the sort that could be bought in any stationers or supermarket even and opening it she tipped the contents onto the counter lifting the picture first her confusion growing. The farm house in the image was familiar and set of a stream of memories that normally would have made her smile but this time simply increased the knot in her stomach a knot that wasn't helped when she turned the picture over. There written clearly this time was a single phrase "exhibit A" and dropping it she lifted the note the same hand writing staring out at her saying "Your favourite place?".

Staring at both new items for a second she cursed herself for not having brought the original letter home with her so she could compare the pictures and the notes. The casual way she'd dismissed the first letter wasn't working for this one and reaching for her cordless phone by the side of the cooker she dialled Robbie's number waiting patiently for him to answer.

"Robbie it's Jean, listen I'm sorry and I know it's late and we've all had a terrible week but is there any chance I could call over when I got home today there was another of those letters I got at the beginning of the week."

"Sent to your home?" Robbie asked the hairs on the back of his neck standing on edge as he put the plate he'd just eaten off in the sink and looked around for his keys.

"Yeah the post hadn't been when I left for work this morning and when I came in it was there I know it's still probably nothing but it's shaken me up a bit I'd appreciate your opinion on it, if you're not busy if you are I….."

"I'll be there in ten minutes, do you have the other one at home or is it still in your desk drawer?"

"It's in my desk I was just thinking about going and getting it." Jean replied sighing with relief as he pointed out he had to drive past the station to get to her place and he'd call in for it. "Thanks the cleaners should still be there they will let you into my office if they give you any hassle ring me and I'll confirm that I want you to pick something up. The desk drawer is locked but on top of the filing cabinet in the little silver box beside the picture of Chris there's a spare desk key and before you say it I know it's not exactly the most secure place to keep it but I like to know there's one somewhere I will always be able to find it if I lose my key ring."

"Yeah well we'll talk about security another time I'll be there shortly in the meantime just sit tight." Robbie replied hanging up the phone and staring at it for a second before picking it up again and hitting the speed dial for James's mobile.

"It's Friday night I was just thinking about going out please tell me we haven't been called back in." James groaned on the other end of the line when he answered as Robbie sighed, he knew they had all been looking forward to a peaceful weekend but he as sure once he explained to is sergeant want was going on he'd want to be involved.

"It's not work, well I suppose it is but not on the record. The chief super is having a bit of bother she's asked me to call over I think we could do with an extra set of eyes on it if I swing by and pick you up I'll explain on the way, we need to call at the station then go to hers."

"Is she ok?" James asked suddenly completely focused the implication that Jean might somehow be in trouble sending any other plans he had for the evening out the window as he pulled on his trainers.

"We don't know but if you want my gut feeling I'd say yeah."

"You go by the station I'll go straight to her place I'm closer than you anyway."

"OK I'll see you there." Robbie replied hanging up the phone and heading for the door trying to ignore the fact that he had known the original letter was only the start, that his gut had told him it was the beginning of something and he'd let her convince him it wasn't. This time though with the envelope arriving at her home he wasn't prepared to let her brush it away but he had a feeling she wouldn't want to anyway. Jean Innocent didn't do shaken up and that was distinctly how she had sounded on the phone this time a fact which only added to the concern he was feeling as he started the car and headed to the station.


	3. Chapter 3

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Ghost Writer – 3/?

Sitting on the sofa in her living room cradling the glass of wine she'd brought from the kitchen Jean stared at the picture and note in front of her on the coffee table. Nothing about the choice of pictures she'd been sent nor the cryptic notes was making any sense and sighing heavily she moved to the cupboard in the dresser at the other side of the room pulling out a box of old photos and sitting on the floor lifting a handful of them out and flicking through them.

Applebrook was, as the latest note stated, her favourite place when she was younger. She and her sister had counted the days at the end of each school year the excitement at leaving as soon as the school holidays started and spending the entire summer at the farm house with their grandparents had been the highlight of the year. The freedom that being in the heart of the countryside had given them meant that they spent hours wandering the fields, swimming in the nearby river and forming friendships with local kids that they'd believed would last forever. Then the end of august would come round as it always did and they'd leave the place behind until the following year. It had been like that for most of her childhood until her grandfather died just after her 16th birthday and everything changed. Holding a photo of herself with him the summer before his death she felt herself well the memory of how her life had revolved so completely around him in those summers pulling together the threads of memory making the place and the feelings she'd had when there all the more vivid. Suddenly she could smell the drying hay in the fields around the house, hear the sound of her grandmother singing badly along with the radio as she baked and cooked the kitchen being her day time home, and see the smiling face of her grandfather as she and her sister regaled him with their day time antics over dinner. The box in front of her was full of memories but none of them seemed to increase her understanding of the things she was being sent and hearing the door knock loudly she shoved them back into the cupboard closing it and trying to pull herself together before answering it.

"James? I wasn't expecting you how did…." She smiled opening the door to find him on the other side and glancing behind him to see if Robbie was with him.

"Robbie called me he's gone to the station to get the first letter I told him I'd come straight here." James replied stepping inside as she stood aside taking in the reddened edges of her eyes telling him she'd been crying in spite of her attempts to appear jovial and relaxed. "Are you ok? Robbie filled me in on the basics but I don't really know what's going on."

"I'm fine and I don't know what's going on either." Jean sighed as he followed her into the kitchen where she retrieved a beer from the fridge handing it to him and putting a couple more on a tray along with the bottle of wine she'd take her glass from earlier.

"You recognise the place though?" James asked as they reached the sitting room again and he lifted the most recent picture from the table turning it over in his hand the lettering on the back and the image itself offering no clues that he could see.

"Yeah like I told Robbie my Grandparents owned it and now my sister and I do but we've not been there for years." Jean explained giving him the same details about her childhood summers and how the place as now derelict that she had given Robbie earlier in the week. "I don't understand why anyone would be trying to contact me about it now. I mean the first picture I'm pretty sure was taken the last summer we were there and it was almost 35 years ago. I wouldn't even know anyone there I don't think I could tell you the names of anyone we did know when we went none of it makes any sense."

"Well clearly someone from then still remembers you when Robbie gets here with the first letter you need to try to place the time frame of the first photo I know it could probably be any time on that last summer but maybe there's something in the background that might give you a clue as to when it was taken and who took it." James continued reaching out and gently squeezing her hand as she stared at the floor and he was sure he saw tears in her eyes again. "Look I have to ask clearly you have loads of stuff from back then about the house do you think this could be anything to do with your ex? I mean might he be trying to freak you out in some way or get to you by doing something he thinks is going to put you on edge?"

"Richard? No, no this isn't his style I see what you're thinking but no if he wanted to mess with my head he'd be more direct about it." Jean sighed briefly considering if she should tell James that the thought had crossed her mind too for all of ten seconds before she dismissed it for the exact reasons she'd just given him. "Besides I don't recognise these pictures and over the years I've gone through all the stuff from back then now and then I'd remember if I'd seem them before. You're right clearly they were taken by someone at the time who's kept them since but I just can't think of anyone who might have done it."

"Well you were a teenager did you have a boyfriend? A holiday romance? Anything that might mean someone had kept photos of you?"

"Well yeah of course I did but nothing serious I was 15 every other week I was convinced I was in love but there was never anything serious enough for someone to keep photos or even take photos for that matter." Jean replied trying to think back to anyone that had meant anything to her at the time as the door knocked again and James disappeared into the hall to answer it.

"I got the other one and I put your desk key back where it was for now but seriously Jean somewhere a little more secure wouldn't go a miss." Robbie smiled handing the first envelope to James as she opened it and looked at the photo before handing it to Jean.

"We've been trying to think of anyone who might be doing this, I thought maybe her ex but….."

"Nah this isn't his style." Robbie interrupted shaking his head firmly. He'd been party to some of the messier aspects of Jean's divorce that he knew James had no knowledge of and he knew Richard Innocent was more than capable of torturing his ex-wife without resorting to anonymous letters and game playing.

"That's what I said and I've also pointed out that although I was 15 and like every other 15 year old girl in the world was regularly convinced that I was in love I never had a serious boyfriend at the farm nor anything resembling a holiday romance we hung around in a group mostly and I don't even think I could list the names of the people in that group if I tried now." Jean added setting the photos side by side and staring at them following James's advice to try to spot something in the background or anywhere that might give her a clue as to who might have taken them.

"What about your sister would she remember? Might she know of anyone who could do this?" James asked as she shrugged.

"I don't know, she was even younger than me she might but it's too late to ring her tonight." Jean sighed as Robbie lifted a beer off the tray and they sat in silence looking at the pictures clearly all trying to decide what if anything they should do next.


	4. Chapter 4

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Ghost Writer –4/?

"Jean you're going to have to try and think if there's anyone from back then who might have any reason to want to get in touch with you now." Robbie said quietly taking another beer off the tray as she nodded sinking back onto the sofa and shaking her head.

"It's a long time ago Robbie can you remember everyone from your life 35 years ago?" She replied glancing at James "And as for you, you weren't even born 35 years ago!"

"Hey leave my age out of this." James smiled the momentary lightening in the mood as they all laughed and he lifted the photo of Jean off the coffee table. "Look seriously you were a good looking kid are you sure there wasn't someone serious back then I'm sure the local boys were falling at your feet."

"You're a real charmer James but no, to be honest my sister was the one who got the second looks when we walked down the street like I've already said there were boys but nothing that constituted a relationship. Paula is only a year younger than me and she was much more in the business of breaking hearts."

"I think we're going to need to talk to Paula, it's the weekend do you think she'd be around for us all to call by tomorrow and see if she knows anything about any of this or can remember anything you can't?" Robbie asked as James sat the picture back down and Jean reached for her mobile.

"I'll text her, she has a two year old and a new born so she might not get back to us immediately but I'm sure she'll be up at some point during the night and get back to me. If she can't do tomorrow I could take you both out to the farm it's a bit of a drive but there's a country pub nearby if you don't have plans for the weekend we could stay there then drive back Sunday and maybe she could see us then." Jean said quietly the desire she had not to spend the weekend alone in the house waiting for another letter or thinking herself into a panic over riding her concern about commandeering their weekend.

"Well I could set aside my plans to spend the weekend staring at crap TV and sleeping in the arm chair to help." Robbie replied smiling reassuringly as James nodded too.

"My James Bond box set will be disappointed but I can break it's heart for something this important." He added as Jean set her mobile down and it immediately buzzed into life.

"Paula says she's at something tomorrow all day with Stewart's parents but she will be in all day on Sunday if we want to call in. She says she'll make lunch. Sorry she gets a little starved for adult conversation these days Stewart works all the hours god sends and I think she spends 20 out of any 24 hours with nothing but Joshy watching Thomas the Tank Engine and Imogen feeding and sleeping, the joys of being a new mother." Jean told them smiling apologetically.

"Can she cook better than you?" James asked dodging the pillow that came flying his way from the sofa.

"Yes she's a great cook and so am I just because every time you all come here you insist on getting takeaway food doesn't mean I couldn't feed you if you'd let me."

"That's settled then we'll leave in the morning, drive up to the farm do you think that pub you're talking about will have room for us at short notice." Robbie asked staring at the letters still in the middle of the coffee table as Jean again reached for her phone.

"I'll ring now and book us in, on me of course I really appreciate you both doing this I know it's a lot to ask." Jean smiled holding up her hand as they both began to object their assurances that it wasn't necessary for her to pay for their accommodation and that they were doing it because they wanted to help tumbling over each other in a mass of garbled words. "I won't go if you aren't going to let me pay for the hotel, I mean it I know you don't have to do this and you don't know how much it means to me that you are."

"What are you making of all this?" James asked when they had finally agreed to let her book and pay for the hotel and she left the room to do it someone quieter. "Do you think it's something sinister or just someone playing silly buggers?"

"I was on the fence when the letter came to the station but now I'm not liking the feeling in my gut about it." Robbie replied lifting the newest letter off the table and turning it over in his hands again. "What's your feeling on it?"

"I think someone is trying to get her to remember something and if they feel the need to do it this way rather than just picking up the phone and saying "hey remember me" I don't think it can be a good thing." James sighed. "Look if this was another case, if someone had just come into the station with this stuff what would we think, how would we deal with it."

"We'd do what we are doing wouldn't we?" Robbie asked. "I mean we'd question them about the background to the photos and we'd question anyone else who might have been around at the time then we'd tell them to be careful and let us know immediately if they had any further contact."

"Yeah ok I just wanted to make sure you didn't think we were over reacting. Personally I'm with you my gut is telling me this isn't good I don't think we should leave her alone tonight either this whack job clearly knows where she lives now." James agreed smiling as Jean came back into the room.

"Sorted we're booked in for tomorrow night. I need to ask you both something though." She said sitting back down on the sofa and staring at her hands for a second. "Do you think I'm over reacting, I mean I know you will both help no matter what but do you think I've gone off the deep end a bit just because the second letter came here?"

"No, we've just been talking about exactly that and how we feel about the possible motives behind the letters." Robbie reassured as James leaned forward in the arm chair he was sitting in and picked up the conversation.

"We both feel that there's something not right about this and we're not happy with the idea of you dealing with it alone." He smiled "We want to help and if we thought it was nothing we'd tell you even if it meant being bumped back down to beat duty ok?"

"OK." Jean smiled loving the fact that no matter how bad she felt or how much tension there was in the room James seemed to be able to throw those perfectly timed comments in, as he had been doing all evening, to make them smile and make it all seem more bearable.

" Now how about some supper while we think about this a little more, we could order something." Robbie smiled laughing as James nodded enthusiastically picking up on his slightly sneaky way of ensuring that they hung around rather than just saying we're not going home we're not leaving you right now.

"No! My cooking skills have been called into question." Jean smiled getting up and heading for the sitting room door again. "You two put the TV on or something and I'll make us all something ok?"

"If you insist and you promise we won't get food poisoning I'd hate to have to stop every five minutes on the journey tomorrow to throw up." James smiled cheekily as she roled her eyes leaving them alone feeling much more positive about getting to the bottom of the situation now that they were on board to help.


	5. Chapter 5

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Ghost Writer –5/?

"You see what I mean about having loads of stuff from back then?" Jean asked returning from the kitchen where she'd been loading the dishwasher and looking at the contents of the box of photos that she'd given them from the cupboard. The atmosphere in the room has relaxed considerably thanks to some vintage comedy show in the television, her trademark quick chicken curry and almost a full bottle of wine and for the first time since she walked in from work she was feeling like it might all be more manageable. While she'd been clearing up the boys had positioned themselves in the middle of the floor each leaning back on one of the sofas in her living room and has spread the photos from the box out in piles and were talking animatedly about each section.

"Yeah look we're sorted through this a bit and those photos in the pile by your foot can go straight into the box again they're scenic shots nothing that can help us in any way there's a few others here we want to talk to you about though." Robbie replied as she joined them on the floor and James lifted a small pile of photos and handed her the first one.

"We need you to tell us who the people are in these photos if you can remember and then any that you can't remember we can take with us to see your sister and see if she remembers." He explained as she looked at the first picture he handed her and nodded.

"Well that's me obviously and the man is my grandfather." She replied smiling sadly glad that she'd had her emotional moment about the smiling elderly man in the photo before they arrived and wasn't about to break down again at the memories the photo was bring back.

"And the kid in the background is that Paula?" Robbie asked pointing to a figure in the background of the photo as she stared at it before confirming that it was her sister. "Ok so that can go back into the box then what about this one."

"That's Paula and her on again off again boyfriend…..god I can't remember his name…..Joe or John or something like that if we take that with us she'll remember they used to be inseparable one minute and then not be able to stand the sight of each other the next my grandma used to tease her about. Joe it was definitely Joe I can hear Gran saying "That Joe Watson will get fed up with you indecisiveness one of these days Paula and you'll not be able to wrap him round your little finger then." Yeah Joe Watson last I heard he'd left the village and was married with four kids and working at Whitehall as some government civil servant."

"See you remember more than you think you do." James smiled setting the photo on the coffee table to start a makeshift pile for taking with them before handing her another.

"God to be that young again." Jean laughed looking at herself and Paula in barely there bikini's sun bathing in the farm's garden. "That's just me and Paula and it can go back in the box I don't need reminding that I used to look that good."

"I hear ya." Robbie smiled as James shook his head "Oi boy wonder you haven't go to the stage yet of looking back on when you were young and thinking how much better you looked before life and gravity took its toll just put it back in the box.

"Yeah well I happen to think you haven't changed that much I'm sure you could probably still pull that bikini off." James smiled setting the photo on the pile for the box as Jean laugh.

"He's such a charmer it's a wonder he's still single." She smiled directing her comment at Robbie as he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah Casanova wouldn't be in it." He agreed handing her a photo that immediately made her mood change a fact that both he and James picked up on immediately. "Jean what is it? Who are that lot can you remember?"

"Yeah, well most of them, I haven't thought about that group for years I didn't even realise we'd ever had out photo taken together. It's the group we used to hang around in but this is a couple of summers before the photo I was sent you can see Paula and I are a bit younger I was only 12 or 13 here." Jean replied pointing to herself and then Paula in the photo before running through the others "That Joe the kids from the other photo and his sister Anna beside me she was my best friend but when their parents split the Christmas after this was taken she went with her mother up north somewhere and Joe stayed with his father on their farm I ever saw her again. The two boys behind Paula are the Baker twins Peter and Mathew they were my grandma's friend nephews like us they were only there in the summer their parents lived in Liverpool and both worked so they used to stay with their aunt over the school holidays."

"And the other three, one of them, this girl here looks a lot younger than the rest of you she couldn't be more than 8 or 9." James said pointing at the small girl right at the front of the picture as he and James exchanged concerned glances the change in Jean's mood worrying them.

"Katie Samson she was younger her Dad used to come and help my granddad out around the gardens and he brought her with him sad story really about 4 months after this was taken she died. Meningitis, it hit her full on and it was before the days of awareness of the signs or anything the doctor dismissed it as flu and by the time it had got bad enough for them to take her to the hospital it was too late. By the time we went back the next summer Alec, her dad, had taken to looking for answers in the bottom of a bottle of Scotch and his wife…..I can't remember her name had moved back to live with her mother taken their other daughter with her. Jean replied before pointing at the other two people in the photo one boy and one girl that she couldn't place or even think why they would have been in the photo. "These two I've no idea about, Paula might remember but they aren't even ringing a bell with me I can't place them at all."

"Ok well at least we're getting somewhere." Robbie replied smiling reassuringly as they made their way through most of the rest of the pile and dismissed all of them as easily explained or simple family shots of her, Paula and their grandparents.

"Last couple." James smiled handing her that last two photos on the pile jumping slightly as she looked at them both and gasped loudly. "What is it? Who are there?"

"That one….." Jean replied handing him back one photo and indicating that he put it in the pile to go back in the box. "Is Uncle Alfie my granddad's best friend they used to go fishing together three or four times a week but this one, I'd forgotten all about him, his name is Nick McCea he was a student my grandfather hired the summer before he died because the gardens were huge and too much for him and John Samson to cope with especially since my grandfather was finding it harder to do anything strenuous. He stayed on the farm in one of the little cottages that were in the grounds and Paula and I thought he was gorgeous he was far too old for us and never showed the slightest interest but you know how it is when you're young and have a crush we used to lie awake at night arguing about which of us he was going to fall for and ramble on about whole fairy tale lives we would have with him. It just surprised me that we actually had a photo of him he doesn't have anything to do with this he lives here in oxford and is very happy with his partner Paul see him now and then Paul lectures in sociology at one of the colleges and Nick is in publishing."

"Ok well at least we have something to ask Paula about when we see her on Sunday." Robbie replied taking the picture and putting it in the box before replacing the other leaving the handful of shots they wanted to talk to Jean's sister about on the coffee table as he glanced at the clock. "It's after 2am when don't you go to bed James and I will take a sofa each…."

"No you won't the spare room is made up and there's clean bedding in Chris's room James you can take it I don't think you'll be given nightmares by the rock band posters in there Robbie might." Jean smiled laughing as James's eyes lit up at the mention of music.

"No I'm sure I can cope though if he has a descent music collection in his room I might not get much sleep." He replied as they all got up and cleared up the area they'd been sitting in before turning off the TV.

"Yeah well just make sure you put on some headphones or something some of us will actually want to sleep." Robbie joked as Jean watched them argue playfully and couldn't help but smile. The weekend was going to be an interesting one but at least now, going to bed with them in the house meant she might actually get some sleep before it all started.


	6. Chapter 6

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Ghost Writer –6/?

"God you're determined to prove to James that you can cook after his wise crack last night aren't you?" Robbie laughed coming into the kitchen to the smell of bacon and the sound of coffee bubbling in the coffee maker on the kitchen counter.

"Damn right I am my honour has been challenged I will make sure before we leave her today he knows I can cook just as well if not better than Paula before she sets us down a four course gourmet lunch tomorrow which I have every confidence she will." Jean smiled just as James came into the room and his eyes widened at the sight of piles of toast and bacon on the table to which Jean had just added a large bowl of scrambled eggs. "Dig in both of you I'm just going to put the juice in a jug and get the milk from the fridge in the utility room then I'll join you."

"Did you hear her last night?" James said quietly when Jean left the room for a second and he was sure she was out of ear shot.

"Yeah it was a nightmare James. She had a nightmare that's what it sounds like anyway. It's understandable whoever this weirdo is they know her address she's going to be on edge, if she had needed us she'd have woken one of us though." Robbie replied the memory of the anguished cries he'd hear from Jean's bedroom the night before. He knew James was finding it hard to accept that she didn't just come looking for one of them if she was upset but he knew that Jean Innocent for all her acceptance of their help would not want to show weakness if she could help it. The idea that even though she knew they were there and on hand should anything happen yet still her unconscious mind tortured her while she slept would be something she'd want to keep to herself at least for now.

"So what's the plan for today then?" Jean asked cheerily setting the juice and milk on the table before lifting the coffee pot and finally joining them. "You'll both need to go home and get some stuff together if we're going to be away overnight so how about if after breakfast you go do that then I'll pick you both up again about 11. That way we should be at the hotel by about 1:30 and we can grab some lunch before I take you out to the farm."

"Sounds good to me." James replied taking another spoonful of eggs and putting them on his plate as Robbie nodded. "I need to call Laura and let her know we're going to be away for the night in case anyone is looking for us."

"Yeah that's why you're calling in case someone's looking for us." James replied rolling his eyes at Jean as she laughed softly.

"You know you could ask her if she wants to come, they hotel only has double rooms so we have a room each with a double bed James and I would be discrete." She teased enjoying the relaxed atmosphere around the table as Robbie glared at them in mock anger before shaking his head.

"Nothing like subtly there ma'am." He laughed nodding as she reminded him that they weren't on the clock and she could do without a weekend of conversing in official titles.

"Ok well I mean it though if you think she could help bring her along I'm sure Paula wouldn't mind another for lunch." Jean smiled pushing her own breakfast around the plate still finding it hard to develop any sort of appetite. She knew that they had to leave even if it was only for a couple of hours to sort out their own things for going away but the idea of being in the house alone even in the middle of the day was not one she relished.

"I think we'll stick to….." Robbie began the sound of the doorbell interrupting him as Jean sighed heavily and got up to answer it. Listening to the boys continue to discuss the trip she opened the door to find a smiling delivery driver on the other side.

"Parcel for Jean Innocent." The young man said holding out a shoe box sized box as she smiled signing the sheet of paper on the clipboard he handed her before taking the box and thanking him.

"Jean what's that?" James asked as she came back into the room turning the box over in her hand.

"Hold on a second while I switch on my x-ray vision James." She laughed sitting back down at the table and going to open the parcel as Robbie reached out stopping her and on the way to the tape holding it closed.

"Jean wait." He said quietly moving round to the side of the table where she sat looking down at the parcel for a second. "Were you expecting anything? Do you often get parcels when you haven't ordered anything or aren't expecting them?"

"Well no I mean I wasn't expecting anything but….." Jean began before immediately catching up with his thoughts and staring at the brown paper and the spidery scrawl on the front of it. "Under the sink there's a box of latex gloves I use when I'm cleaning the oven or anything messing get a pair."

"Here let me open it." James said when Robbie returned a moment later holding three pairs of gloves and a small vegetable knife handing them out.

"Be careful James we have no idea what could be in it." Jean said quietly as he sliced through the tape holding the wrapping in place before opening it and setting it aside then opening the box inside. "What is it?"

"There's two things, and another letter." James said quietly lifting out a small wooden carved bird from the box and a stone that had been worn by the weather into something resembling a heart. Watching as Jean opened the envelope with trembling hands he felt his stomach knot as she dropped a photo onto the table and read the short note that came with it.

"What is it? What does it say?" Robbie asked lifting the photo which depicted a smiling Jean on a bicycle a short distance from the farm with the farm house in the back ground and turning it over he read the faded writing aloud. "Briar's hill does that mean anything to you Jean what does the note say."

"It says "Remember distance is nothing when love is the tie that binds." And yeah we'll see Briar's Hill later we drive up it to get to the farm." Jean replied handing the note to James as she looked at it turning it over in his hands.

"Ok well now it is time to get Laura involved until we know what we're dealing with we can't send this stuff to forensics but she knows enough to be able to give it a basic look over for us. Whoever this is they are determined to get you to notice them we've gone from one note at the station then nothing for over a week to two things in less than 24 hours." Robbie said firmly. "I'm going to call her in the meantime you pack for tonight, actually pack for a few nights because unless we find out what's happening while we're at the farm today you're not coming back here you can stay with one of us or with Laura until we know who's doing this."

"Ok." Jean replied quietly as Robbie and James exchanged a concerned glance they'd both expected her to fight Robbie on the idea of leaving her home, James had been as sure of it as he knew Robbie was and yet she just accepted it without so much as a half-hearted attempt argue.

"It's going to be ok, we'll not let anything happen to you." James smiled squeezing her hand reassuringly as she got up from the table and he watched her walk toward the hallway to go upstairs and pack the obvious fear in her eyes and nervousness in how she moved around her home making him even more determined to put a stop to this and give her back her life.


	7. Chapter 7

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Ghost Writer –7/?

"Where's Robbie? Did he call Laura?" Jean asked returning to the kitchen after the quickest shower she'd ever remembered having. She'd left them finishing breakfast and looking at the latest delivery while she showered and dressed but in truth she'd needed some time on her own to deal with the fear that now felt like it was crushing her chest. The night before had been bad enough, when it was just letters and photos she'd been able to convince herself that it was harmless and that the feeling in the pit of her stomach that was telling her it was time to panic was wrong. Now though the clawing fear of being alone in any part of her home she'd always loved so much was all encompassing.

"He's gone to gather up what he needs for the weekend and he's picking Laura up on his way back. Are you ok?" James asked standing up and closing the distance between them as he saw tears well in her eyes. "Ssh it's ok. Why didn't you tell me when the first letter came to the station? Why wasn't I the first person you called last night?"

"Robbie was there when I opened the first letter he was in my office and I thought it was nothing and when the second one came yesterday I wanted to call you but I knew it would seem strange since Robbie already knew what was going on. You know you're the only person I want when I'm worried or scared and if Robbie hadn't called you last night I would have but calling you first would have raised too many questions. I'm sorry."

"Don't cry it's fine you know it is I just can't believe something like that happened and you waited a week to tell me. I heard you last night, I know how scared you are and it killed me not to be able to go to you and hold you." James replied pulling her into his arms and kissing her gently. He knew everything she'd done was done to keep their secret but the fact there was a real problem and they were still having to be so secretive was agonising,

"After your wisecrack about my cooking last night who says I'd have let you comfort me anyway?" Jean said quietly the attempt at a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes reminding him just how scared and vulnerable she was. In the months they'd been a couple it had seemed exciting and fun to keep their relationship a secret now though he wanted nothing more than to be able to tell the world and whoever the weirdo was who was trying to scare her that he was in love with her and would do whatever it took to keep her safe.

"Look I have to ask again now that Robbie is gone, you don't think this could be anything to do with Richard do you? I mean maybe he's found out about us and just wants to mess with your head or maybe he'd trying to screw with you full stop."

"No I meant what I said last night he wouldn't be so subtle besides this stuff, the rock, the bird, the comment about Briars Hill, he wouldn't know enough about our time at Applebrooke to do anything like that. Not only that but if he'd found out about us he'd have made sure half of Oxford knew five minutes later because he'd think that would be the best way to hurt me with the information."

"He'd be right."

"No he wouldn't, right now we keep things secret for convenience but I love you if it came to it I wouldn't care what people thought or what the consequences were that wouldn't change." Jean smiled this time the fact that he had finally been able to hold her and give her back some of the security she always felt around him meaning her smile was genuine.

"Well then maybe when this is all sorted it's time we did start telling people starting with Robbie and Laura when we get to the pub tonight. If they're going to be coy about sharing a room then Laura can have mine because I don't like the idea of you so close to the centre of all this and alone all night in a hotel room." James replied kissing her again as she nodded before they both sat down at the table again looking at the items still lying there.

"I don't get this James I really don't I mean the photos are clearly all designed to make me focus back on that time and bring something to do with it back to my mind but the bird and the stone? None of that means anything to me James I'm scared, really scared, why isn't whoever this is just picking up the phone and calling me? Way are they playing silly games unless there's something sinister behind it."

"I think we have to accept that it's sinister sweetheart but you don't need to be scared whatever it takes you'll be safe as long as I'm around, we're going to find this person and deal with them before this goes any further I promise."

"Maybe Laura will be able to tell us something is she bringing her mobile kit?" Jean asked as she heard a car pull into the driveway again and sighed heavily hoping that when her other two friends came in Laura might be able to shed some fresh light on the situation.

"Yeah she's spoken to one of the girls in forensics who's in the same reading group as her or something and she's lending her some stuff to take samples from the paper and everything then we can drop them off on our way to hotel today she's going to process them for us on the QT" James smiled as he watched Jean get up and put on a fresh pot of coffee. "God how long does it take to get from the car to the front door?"

"Maybe they need a hand with getting Laura's stuff inside or something." Jean replied about to move toward the front door to see if she was right when the sound of spinning gravel and a car pulling away startled them both.

"No! Jean stay there and don't move." James said firmly moving through the house toward the hall as she watched the seconds seeming to take hours until she heard the front door open and close again and he came back. "They've gone but they've left us another calling card pass me the gloves again."

"I'm coming with you this time." Jean replied handing him fresh pair of gloved before putting a pair on herself and following him into the hall holding her breath as he paused for a second his hand on the handle.

"Before I open this I want you to stay calm and remember what I said ok? You're going to be perfectly safe I'll make sure of it." He said quietly before opening the door lifting an envelope from the door step trying to stand in the way of her line of sight as she pushed him to one side the anguished gasp she gave echoing around the porch.

"What is that?" Jean asked as they were distracted for a second by Robbie's car pulling into the driveway.

"I don't know but thankfully we now have someone who might." James said quietly as he carefully lifted the small blood stained box off the door step trying not to disturb the silver handled dagger that was sticking out of the top of it as Laura and Robbie reached their side.

"Jesus Christ this is just getting bloody freaky now. Jean that's it you aren't staying here a second longer. Laura sort that out, James help Jean pack, I'll box up the other stuff and we'll take it all to your place and look at it there before we leave for the farm. From now on you don't come near this house or go anywhere else on you own Jean understood?" Robbie said loudly as they all stood on the door step staring at the latest delivery the air of bone chilling fear in the air consuming them all.


	8. Chapter 8

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Ghost Writer –8/?

"What have you got for us Laura?" Robbie asked they had arrived at James's small flat half an hour before and all agreed that Jean, who was still clearly in shock from the new developments, needed a nap before they hit the road. Since then she and James had been in the bedroom and now with his sergeant back out and standing beside him in the open plan living room and kitchen he wanted to know what if anything Laura had found. She had put a sheet of forensic plastic on James's kitchen table and had been quietly working away filling a small try with samples to be dropped off with her friend for analysis.

"I've taken everything I can from the letters and pictures and the stone and bird it's time to open the box is Jean sleeping?" Laura asked looking from one of the boys to the other. She'd never seen her friend look so distressed and scared as she had been when they arrived and she and James had just found the latest delivery and she had deliberately waited as long as possible to deal with it to ensure that Jean was asleep when she did.

"Yeah she's asleep but I doubt it'll be for long." James replied he'd lain with Jean in his arms until he was sure she was asleep not caring if they were discovered by Robbie or Laura. With all his heart he wanted to make the terror she was clearly feeling go away and since he couldn't he was going to be there for her and if that meant their relationship stopped being a secret he could live with that. "She's restless I don't think she's sleeping right now without being plagued by nightmares so we need to move quickly."

"Ok well let's open it and see what we've got." Laura agreed handing both James and Robbie a set of latex gloves before pulling on her mask and using a scalpel to slice alone the side of the box opening the flap as she saw both of the boys take a step back out of the corner of her eye. Taking hold of the bloody object inside she slid the dagger out setting it in the tray she had left by her side to house it and setting the object on the steel tray in front of her. Inside the box amongst the blood that had pooled in the bottom was a new letter which had been sealed inside a plastic sandwich bag obviously to prevent it being damaged by the blood. Handing it to Robbie she lifted a bottle of distilled water using it to rinse off the object ion the tray. "This is a heart, not a human one you'll be glad to hear, at a guess I'd say pig or sheep it's too small to be a cow. The dagger through the heart couldn't get much less subtle could it?"

"This is just getting sick now I mean what the hell." James muttered as Robbie moved to the other side of the table opening the bag and taking out the letter inside. "Look you two I need to tell you something before Jean wakes up, it's just that we've….. look for the last few months….well quite a few months actually…we've….."

"James stop stammering it's fine we know we're not bloody blind." Laura sighed glancing over at Robbie as he rolled his eyes. "We've known for ages that you and Jean have been having an affair, it's fine you could have told us though I mean it's not like she's still married or anything."

"Yeah I mean anyone would think you didn't trust us." Robbie replied using one of Laura's clean scalpels to slice open the letter before tipping it's contents onto the table. "It's good, I mean she deserves to be happy after being married to that bastard for so long and it's good that she has you around right now just don't mess her about ok?"

"I would never mess her about." James replied still in shock that their friends had known all along and not let them know that they did and trying to hide his amusement at Robbie's apparent need to warn him about treating Jean well like a brother or father might if he was taking a teenager out for the first time. In the middle of everything that was going on around them it seemed like an amusing snippet of normality and he was grateful for it.

"Have you considered this might be something to do with the fact you're in a relationship? That maybe it's something to do with Jean's ex?" Laura asked as Robbie carefully opened the letter and lifted the photo setting it beside it.

"This isn't Richard Innocent." He said quietly looking at James for back up as he nodded "He's not into subtlety remember the scene he created at the Christmas party last year when he found out she'd filed for divorce? If he wanted to get at her he'd just find the most public place he could and make as big a scene as possible."

"That's what she said too." James confirmed moving to Robbie's side and glancing at the new note which said in large block capitals "AN EYE FOR AN EYE, A HEART FOR A HEART" and the photo which showed the inside of a barn with the same group of people that had been in one of the previous ones and when they turned it over said simply "the gang – American independence day".

"What is it?" Jean asked her sudden presence startling them as James immediately walked to her side taking her hand and kissing her gently as he felt her tense.

"It's fine, they know, actually they've always known." He smiled as Robbie nodded reassuringly.

"Yeah we have." Laura said with a look of mock irritation on her face as she waggled a bloody finger in her direction. "And when this is all over you and I will be having serious words Jean Innocent, I mean you could have told me!"

"I'm sorry we…."

"She's just teasing Jean her sense of timing has never been great, pathologists spend way too much time around the dead it gives them a weird sense of humour." Robbie smiled "We don't care that you didn't tell us we're just happy for you both. Come and look at this and see if it means anything to you."

"What's that?" Jean asked reaching the side of the table and seeing the heart still sitting on the steel tray ready to put it in ice and take it with the rest of the samples.

"It's an animal heart, I think probably pig or sheep, it was in the box with the dagger through it and that stuff Robbie has was in a freezer bag at the bottom of the box, our guy is thorough he clearly didn't want those things to be damaged by the blood from the heart." Laura explained as Jean joined Robbie and looked down at the things taking a pair of gloves James held out and putting them on before lifting the picture.

"Well this could be any year the farm always had a party, you know big tables everyone brings something from cakes to sandwiches or whatever for Independence Day because there was a US army base a mile and a half away during the second world war and it was to sort of remember it and a couple of the local girls who married GI's and moved to the states. The letter I have no idea about I mean I don't ever remember harming anyone or knowing anyone who was injured by anything I was involved with and I certainly didn't break anyone's heart like I told the boys last night I didn't have a steady boyfriend up there I didn't even have boyfriends up there at all. We all ran about together in a group, that group." Jean said pointing at the group in the photo and moving round to where Laura had bagged the others looking at the first couple and comparing them all. "If I was pushed I'd probably say these were all taken the same year, the last year we were at the farm just before my grandfather died but that doesn't really help us."

"No but it might when we get you and Paula together tomorrow, or maybe something will come to mind when you're at the farm this afternoon." James said smiling reassuringly as the others agreed.

"I just don't know why someone is doing this to me." She sighed leaning back on the kitchen counter looking around at the array of evidence that they now had none of which was telling them anything about who was sending the things or why. The more she thought the less she seemed to be able come up with and the more frightened she got and at that moment all she wanted was to get on the road and get as far away from there as possible so at least the deliveries would stop and they might be able to make some progress.


	9. Chapter 9

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Ghost Writer –9/?

"I think you two should stay here and Laura and I will go drop all this stuff off with her friend Zara….Zoë…..whatever her name is then when we get back we'll hit the road. James we don't know if however this is knows where Jean is, if they know her home address we have to assume they have been watching her and maybe still are so you need to be on high alert at least until we're on the road and out of the city later." Robbie said firmly as Laura finished boxing up the samples sealing them into a plastic box to take to her friend and putting the originals of the letters and the non-perishable evidence into another box for them to take with them.

"Yeah I know just do that as quickly as possible and we'll make sure everything is ready this end to move the minute you get back. I'll make sure everything is in the car ready to go." James agreed glancing at Jean where she sat in the corner of the sofa her legs curled under herself and her attention seemly captured by a spot on the wall containing nothing but some fading blue paint. Nodding toward the hall he waited until Robbie moved before following him out nudging him into the bedroom and closing the door. "What do we do if he is out there watching and follows us? I mean this guy is clearly dangerous letter and pictures are one thing, even the bird and the stupid fucking heart shaped rock could be dismissed as someone being a bit over the top in their admiration of her but the heart? I mean that's serious stuff what if he follows us to the back end of beyond we've some level of control here that we won't have when we're in a place the three of us have no knowledge of and she hasn't been in over 30 years."

"I don't think we're going to make any progress without going and I think she needs to go, she needs to see if it's going to tell her anything and we need to see Paula." Robbie sighed sitting on the edge of the bed as James paced back and forward in front of the bed his fists bunching and unbunching at his sides.

"Why now Robbie? I mean it's 35 years or there about and after all that time someone decides to start contacting her now. Do you think it's actually anything to do with back then or is it just someone who's got hold of some stuff from the farm house I mean Jean says no one has been there for years, maybe someone broken in found a load of stuff put two and two together and thought let's put the wind up a senior copper."

"You don't actually believe that." Robbie said quietly unable to stop himself giving a dry laugh. If this was just some random whack job their job was easy people like that always slipped up or got bored, they'd known cases of people becoming fixated on high ranking officers who were often seen on television at press conferences. It happened with male officers too but mainly female ones men getting twisted sexual kicks from fantasising over them or people who don't believe that women should hold senior positions. It wasn't common but it happened and they could deal with it. This was not that though, he knew and so did James but he could understand him grasping at straws.

"Of course I don't but Jesus Robbie how do we protect her, how do I protect her from something that we can't get any sort of handle on. You know as well as I do that we could take a million sample to Laura's friend and get nothing. This guy walked right up to her front door this morning with me and her inside and left that box there that wasn't delivered by royal mail or a fucking currier service it was delivered in person no one delivers blood stained boxes you don't need to do our job to know that so he was right there. Right outside the door while we sat at the kitchen table Robbie, what if she hadn't called you last night? I would have been sitting around this morning eating breakfast planning on seeing her tonight and she could have been…."

"James don't go there ok. She did call and we have it under control well we're getting it under control and until we do she'll be safe we'll make sure she will. This is one of those times James, one of those moments when you know if your serious about someone or not. Look I know you and her have been together and everything but is it serious or ….well you know because this is a time when she's going to need to know where she stands and I meant it when I said you aren't to mess her about she's had enough of that and she deserves better I….."

"Robbie I'm not messing around, neither of us are we're together and that's the way we plan on staying together I love her and I don't care who this is or why they are doing it if he wants to her he'll have to go through me first." James interrupted trying not to allow himself to get irritated with the implication that he would somehow be using Jean and would leave her or forget all they'd had together the moment things got difficult. "I'm sorry if you're pissed off with me for not having told you but when it started her divorce wasn't final yet and we needed to be careful and then we had intended telling you soon but her son doesn't know yet we had to decide when was the right time to tell him. That doesn't mean we didn't tell you because it wasn't serious we…"

"Relax will you my god man all I was saying was it's probably not going to be easy through this and she'll need you I get it and I'm ok with you not having told me I just don't want to see her hurt again she likes to put up a front that she is effected by nothing but I'm guessing you've realised by this time that's not the case." Robbie smiled standing up again and heading for the door pausing with his hand on the handle and turning again. "I assume you've already decided that you should be sharing a room tonight, she sure as hell shouldn't be on her own and now that we've all stopped pretending Laura and I don't know it would be pointless to not."

"Yeah that was why I was going to tell you earlier when she was asleep she's not going anywhere on her own let alone sleeping in a room in a pub in the middle of where this all started." James agreed pausing for a second before thinking what the hell if they were all going to be honest and talking about their feelings he might as well go for it. "What about you and Laura? One room or two?"

"God knows I don't think either of us know where we stand there and it's not important now Jean is what matters I'm going to go drop this stuff off with Laura then we'll get going." Robbie replied shrugging as he opened the door and stepped back into the hall rising his hand to stop James as he went to follow. "I think they need a moment."

"What?" James asked trying to get past him as he heard quiet sobbing from the living room. "That's Jean I….."

"James this is one of those moments when a woman needs another woman let's just give them a few minutes."

"Jean it's ok, look we're going to get to the bottom of it you know we are. Those two men in their would walk over hot coals for you and I'm pretty sure that now he's admitted how he feels about you and you guys are making it work James would kill anyone who tried to come within a hundred miles of you. This is terrible and it's scary I know but it's going to be ok." Laura said quietly standing by Jean's side as they both stared out the window of James's flat into the street below and with a few deep breaths her friend recovered her composure.

"He could be out there right now looking up at us Laura, he could have been watching me for weeks, months even and if he has been then I've not noticed. Has he been following me around, has he been there watching when James and I have been out if we've thought we were along and stopped to kiss by the river has he been there all that time, has he been there staring through windows when I've thought I was in the privacy of my own home? Has he worked out how he could get to me if he wanted to and when I'd be most vulnerable or when I'd always be alone? This is all escalating too quickly Laura I don't need to tell you how these things go they start with observation, then slow small amounts of contact which escalates over a period of time not the space of a week. It's all wrong it's all too personal I'm missing something."

"Jean you can't start second guessing what's happened already we need to focus on the fact he has made contact. Trying to see what you missed won't help focusing on what this is coming from and how we stop it you've not missed anything in the last few weeks or months that would change this now."

"No I don't mean now, I mean I'm missing something from back there, something I should be remembering something they expect me to remember I just can't work out what the hell it is." Jean sighed smiling weakly as James came into the room again followed by Robbie and Laura picked up the box as they headed for the door leaving her and James alone.

"Are you ok?" James asked moving her away from the window as Robbie and Laura pulled away from the front of the block of flats and turning her in his arms kissing her softly.

"No I'm not I need to find the connection James, I need to work out what he's trying to tell me if I don't what chance do we have of finding him?"

"We'll work it out together darling I promise, maybe when you're there today and when we see Paula tomorrow it will help but even if it doesn't we'll still work it out and I will be right by your side while we do." James smiled seeing the doubt still evident in her eyes and wishing he could say something, anything to make it go away but not knowing he never could. Until they worked out what was going on and more importantly who was behind it she would never feel like she was completely in control and that was something he knew she'd find harder and harder the longer it went on.


	10. Chapter 10

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Ghost Writer –10/?

"Do you want to transfer some of this stuff into a smaller bag? You'll be staying here when we get back so you could just put what you need for today into my small grip." James smiled as he walked into the hall and saw the two large hold all's they'd brought from Jean's still sitting by the door. He was determined to distract her while Robbie and Laura were away and organising her stuff seemed as good a way as any. He was also hoping if she stopped thinking about it so much she might find something coming to her that would help. They all knew that sometimes the more you focused on something the less clear it became it happened when they were working cases too they could spend days completely focused on the evidence and not seeing anything then the one time they relaxed to get some food or have a drink or whatever it all fell into place. Now he was really hoping if he could distract her with something mundane like hanging up her clothes or putting her cosmetics in the bathroom it might help.

"Yeah, yeah that's a good idea we promised Robbie and Laura we'd be ready when they got back so we should do it now." Jean agreed taking his hand and letting him pull her from the sofa and into his arms. Frightening as all of it was when she was wrapped in the security of his arms she felt completely safe and she loved him a little more with each passing hour for making her feel so safe and protected.

"You know I've always wanted to see your clothes hanging in the wardrobe next to mine but not in this situation." James said with a sad smile as Jean started pulling dresses, skirts, and blouses from one of the grips and hanging her usual work "uniform" in the wardrobe before adding her casual clothes from the other bag to the drawers he had cleared for her.

"yeah I doubt whoever this is anticipated that they'd end up making us take another step in our relationship but at least when this is all over we can say one good thing came from it all." Jean smiled abandoning what she was doing and to join him on the bed kissing him hungrily as he followed her lead easing her back onto the bed as they enjoyed the momentary diversion from the horror of the situation. Losing himself in slowly re-familiarising himself with the taste if her lips and the way she melted into his arms he groaned softly.

"I love you." He whispered as the need for air forced them apart and he stared down at her the way her eyes darkened when she was aroused and how her chest rose and fell making him focus solely on her and nothing else.

"I love you too, did you tell Robbie and Laura we'd be sharing a room tonight?" Jean asked smiling as he nodded. "Good I don't want to be on my own, actually I don't want to be without you at all, you make me feel like nothing is too frightening for us to face together."

"I've told you already you never have to face anything on your own I'm here no matter what. I'm here for all the good times but I'm also here for the bad times too," James replied, he hoped she knew how true that was but after Robbie's comments earlier he wanted to make sure she knew he wasn't going anywhere.

"We're going to work out what's going on aren't we? I mean it's what we do day in and day out we can do it this time too can't we?" Jean asked feeling for the first time since she'd got home over 24 hours before. They finally seemed to be ready to leave Oxford and head to the only place she felt could give her any answers and with him by her side and Robbie and Laura on board she really thought by the end of the weekend they'd have it sorted out and life would be back to normal, Running her fingers gently down his cheek she kissed him again the tension finally leaving her body as she sighed against his lips at the exact moment that they both heard the earth shattering sound of breaking glass and James jumped off the bed.

"Stay there!" He shouted rushing out of the room as she ignored him getting up and following him as they reached the sitting room to see a gaping hole in the window and hear the sound of Robbie calling James from the courtyard out front.

"James get down here I've got him hurry up I can't hold him for long."

"Jean I mean it this time don't move!" James instructed rushing to the door and opening it running past Laura as she came through joining Jean in the living room as they both stared at the large rock that had smashed the window and the note held around it by elastic bands.

"He was just about to run when we pulled in Robbie was out of the car before I'd even stopped.2 Laura explained as she grabbed one of the pairs of gloves from the breakfast bar and put them on "Jean it's ok the guys have got him."

"That's not him." Jean replied distractedly staring out the window to where James and Robbie were talking to a kid who didn't even look 16 yet as Laura joined her the rock now resting in her gloved hand as they listened through the broken window.

"You're not convincing us here you expect us to believe you were just sitting at the bus stop across the street and some guy got out of a car and slipped you a fifty to throw a brick through my window?" James asked the anger in his voice obvious as the teenager shrugged.

"look I told you dude he had been sitting there for like ages I'd seen him while I waiting for the bus. He got out, asked me to wait 20 minutes till he was well clear then do the window. He gave me the rock, I told him to get lost my bus was coming in like 3 minutes then he showed me the money and I thought what the hell. I could easily have got away had granddad here not blocked me with his fuckin car." The boy shouted growling angrily and trying to struggle out of Robbie's grasp again.

"What did the guy look like and trust me you don't want to mess with us around here because right now we could arrest you for criminal damage not to mention if we really wanted we could bump that up to attempted murder of me or my partner had been sitting by that window you could have killed us with that thing." James continued catching Robbie's eye knowing he was trying hard not to laugh. They both knew it was an idle threat even if they did want to risk making the whole thing official even criminal damage would be hard to make stick but their teenage vandal didn't know that.

"I don't know man he was an old dude he looked like all old dudes look."

"How old?" Robbie asked all too aware that to someone so young "old" could be anything from 30 to 130.

"Like 45 maybe 50 the same age as my old man."

"And the car?" James asked having no confidence that the kid had emerged from his hoody for long enough to even see the car let alone describe it.

"Man it was a rust bucket, a real piece of shit when he got back in I didn't even think it was going to start! It looked like and old 70's ford but it was seriously mucked up it was white but you'd hardly have known it looked like it'd been stored in a fuckin barn or something it was covered in bird shit and all sort of crap."

"Did you see the reg?" Robbie asked loosening his grip on the boy as James nodded at him.

"No look I just wanna go this is nothing to do with me." He said seizing his chance pulling out of Robbie's grasp and running out of the driveway.

"Why did they let him go?" Laura asked as Jean sighed.

"He can't tell us anything more Laura someone was watching the flat they waited until they saw you and Robbie leave then paid him to throw that. If we take him in we have to start to explain the whole background to it and making things official will mean that none of us will be allowed near it again. Conflict of interests. The kid isn't involved he was just in the right place at the right time." Jean explained resting her head on James's chest as he came in and pulled her into his arms.

"Are you ok?" He asked quietly, kissing the top of her head as she nodded.

"Let's see what out guy has sent us this time then get out of here if what that kid said is right he isn't hanging around to watch our reaction so we should be able ti give him the slip." Robbie said firmly as Laura took the rock to the table putting out a fresh sheet of plastic. "James have you something we can use to board this window up before we go?"

"Yeah I have some old panels from a wardrobe I ditched. They're in the cupboard in the hall and there should be a jar of nails and a hammer in there too we'll do it while Laura looks at the rock." James replied squeezing Jean's hand reassuringly before following Robbie out of the room.

"What have we got Laura?" Jean asked pulling herself together and trying to sound more confident than she was feeling as her friend removed the last elastic band from the rock and peeled the single sheet of paper away laying it out on the plastic as she and Jean stared at it.

"Jesus Jean this guy is something else and we're going to find him and put an end to this." Laura said quietly as she scanned the sheet of paper which said in bold letters _"Once a bitch always a bitch"_ and had a blurred print out of Jean many years before on a swing outside the farm house they were heading for that day. In a bright summer dress she looked happy and alive everything about the picture was idyllic except or the angry red "X" through her face.

"We better." Jean replied walking away from the table as Laura began dusting the image for finger prints. 20 minutes before she'd actually started to believe everything would be ok. Now she was absolutely sure that if they didn't find something at the farm or with Paula the next day that told them who was doing this then it definitely would not be ok and she'd be lucky to make it through this unharmed.


End file.
